“We do the most beautiful job in the world, I would never change that”. Christian Lupinisurgeon, research doctor of the regional health emergency company Ares 118 – self-medication South Romeafter a 12-hour shift, tired and hot inside her long-sleeved uniform despite the torrid heat, she never loses her enthusiasm.
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And to think that the working morning began with a call at 7.58, the first code red: an 80-year-old lady needs urgent assistance. She “she woke up with dizziness, she is afraid of passing out, she has previous chronic pathologies, we have to go”. It is one of the many cases, which will also be repeated during the course of the day, of lonely people who call 118 overwhelmed by the fear of not making it. “We have alerted the fire brigade – says Lupini – in case we can’t get the door to open, the lady reported that she lives alone.
Family members are on vacation.” Luckily, there won’t be a need, immediately after the call the woman left the door open for fear of not being able to do it anymore. Help arrives on time, the woman is taken to the emergency room. She will recover.
Meanwhile other calls arrive, there is no time to lose. The heat doesn’t let up, we are satisfied with a hasty sip of water. This time it is the case of a 60-year-old man. He had been on the drugs, but he was dehydrated. “It looked like a comatose state, but fortunately it was due to an accumulation of sedatives, my colleagues in the emergency room confirmed it to me”, explains Lupini, after having rescued yet another patient.
The self-medicator finds itself once again in the traffic chaos of the capital. Cars double lined up, horns blaring to urge help to pass, the preferential lanes occupied without too much concern. “We realize that people become agitated when they have an automedic with sirens blaring behind them, but often they don’t allow us to move any faster. And for us, traffic is a major stress factor”. The direction of the rescuers this time is not a house: there was an accident on a high-traffic road. It’s lunch time, the wounded man is still lying on the ‘hot’ asphalt, the temperature reaches 40 degrees. “In these cases, the patients must be protected from sudden changes in temperature and refrigerated, but we cannot cool the machine excessively – explains the doctor – we must pay attention to our diagnostic aids and drugs”. After a rush to the hospital, the man is taken care of by the health facility alerted by the arrival of 118.
But the rescuers are ready to go again. There is no lunch break time. As soon as a call comes in, you have to rush. We will drink coffee when possible. But as the hours go by it seems like a forgotten promise. “It’s our job we can’t help ourselves, but we drink a lot of water”, meanwhile Lupini jokes. Calls for red codes don’t stop. This time asking for help is a lady suffering from arrhythmia, she has a severe loss of consciousness. She “she had measured the pressure, but unfortunately the electronic device did not give the exact value, and so the patient thought of taking another dose of hypertensive”. Another rush to the hospital. Outside, the heat is getting more and more oppressive. Looking at the rescuers’ uniforms, one does not understand how they can resist. “The uniform is used to protect yourself and to make us recognize you immediately – explains Lupini calmly – you get used to it by force”.
During the day, other red codes for patients with chronic diseases or with mental disorders, even young people. Calling 118, they explain, could often be avoided. “The territorial system requires a mammoth organizational commitment, the management does a constant job of incredible management. But you should go more to your family doctor, try to understand your own pathologies, the drugs you take. And then you need an adequate social network, friendships, someone’s support. I live in a neighborhood with many elderly people, we know that many are alone. In short, we need a territorial network that precedes us, otherwise 118 becomes the refuge of a whole series of cases that could be avoided “. At 20 the shift is over. For anyone, it was going to be a day from hell. Tired? “Yes, but satisfied – she admits without ever losing her smile – but now after a day like this we need to think about something else, to see friends, family. For the holidays, I look forward to October”.